We were lucky to catch up with Tzahi Kerem recently and have shared our conversation below.

Tzahi, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Do you wish you had waited to pursue your creative career or do you wish you had started sooner?

On one hand, I wish I started my creative path earlier. But on the other hand, I couldn’t do it without what I have learned so far in life and without the support of my wife and family. Music and cooking have been central throughout my life and I love being creative whether through photography, cooking, playing the trumpet, and producing music in Ableton.

I was also stuck trying to figure out which path I should follow creatively and how I could manage to do my main passions professionally. Back home, I was a full time musician and a music-industry professional and continued that here in the United States. In the past few years, I was a student at Berklee College of Music. When I finished my degree, I felt I had the time and a need to be creative. I began playing more music, trying new recipes, diving back into photography, and baking for my loved ones.

After about a year of baking nearly every day, I realized my product is special and is inspired by the flavors of the Mediterranean and Europe, which I felt was missing in Los Angeles. It was this discovery that pushed me to open my own business, Secret Sourdough LA. I am inspired by the flavors, memories, and stories of growing up in the Middle East and include that in all my recipes. My favorite part is seeing the joy my baking brings to people, especially those who are missing the taste of home.

It’s important to me to hear the feedback from people who try my products and I always try to implement the changes the next time I bake. I want my products to be healthy and preservative-free and keep it artisanal.

In short, I couldn’t have started my baking career earlier in life. My wife inspired me and my process. Because of her I found the courage to go out of my comfort zone and start a new path, using knowledge I picked up from cooking alongside my mother and grandmothers back home.

My journey brought me into a very respected restaurant and cooking school, Violet L.A. After they tasted some of my bread, they asked if I could come in for an interview. Now, I am teaching in their cooking school and love sharing my knowledge with people who are passionate about food.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I was born and raised in Holon, a city in Israel. When I was younger, it was a dangerous time there and my mother did not want me out on the streets. To keep me busy, she ensured I was busy in school and enrolled in extracurriculars, which led me to starting music in the fifth grade. I was constantly with my mother and she is the reason I have knowledge about many things. Without her support, my life would be completely different.

In 2015, I fulfilled one of my life goals by enrolling in Berklee College of Music and immigrated to Boston. I paid my own way through college and after eight long years, I finished my degree!

In May 2017, I met my now-wife, and I am so thankful for that and for who she is and how strong of a person she is. She has many food sensitivities so we almost always eat at home.  We discovered that the bread we eat in the US is more like a cake — it is full of sugar and preservatives that were upsetting her stomach. I started using my baking knowledge even more when I started creating our bread and finding a new path that I liked in life. To improve my recipes, I began to study everything I could about baking — the chemistry behind it, how to bake properly, and how to get good results. I spent many days experimenting, learning, and tasting until I reached a point, after two years, where I was confident in my product.

I have taken master classes with bakers from around the world, learning different ways to work with dough and mastering my art. The recipes I love are simple – flour, water, and salt! No more than that, it’s natural and tasty.

Now, I have my business in LA baking by order. I dream of opening my own bakery and storefront. Until that day, I bake at work and am working on certifying my home so I can expand into local farmers markets. Every day, I work on growing my social media accounts to reach more people who are looking for healthy, high-quality bread products.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Contact Info:

• Website: secretsourdough.com
• Instagram: Secret Sourdough LA
• Linkedin: Tzahi Kerem

Image Credits
@nh_photogenic